Interactive advertising and program promotion in an interactive television system

• US 20070107010A1
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Jolna, Stacy, Cusick, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,113,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for interactive advertising and program promotion that may attract and maintain user interest. The interactive advertisements may be displayed within interactive television application display screens, such as, an interactive television program guide display screen. A user may be able to select an interactive advertisement and may be presented with interactive content or features that may entice the user to view the advertisement. The interactive content or features may be related or unrelated to the product or service being advertised.

Claims

1. A method for enticing users to participate in advertising opportunities in an electronic program guide, comprising:

displaying an interactive advertisement for a product or service, the interactive advertisement including an indication that selection of the advertisement by the user will cause presentation of content unrelated to the product or service being advertised;

receiving user input with respect to the interactive advertisement; and

providing, in response to the user input, information about the advertised product or service and the content unrelated to the advertised product or service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the content unrelated to the advertised product or service comprises musical content indicated by the advertisement.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the musical content comprises at least one song from an album indicated by the advertisement.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the musical content comprises at least one song from an artist indicated by the advertisement.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the musical content further comprises related video content.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein in response to the user input the at least one interactive advertisement expands to cover an expanded area of the interactive television display screen and provides at least one selectable option associated with the expanded interactive advertisement.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one selectable option comprises selecting a song to be played from an album indicated by the advertisement.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one selectable option comprises selecting a song to be played from an artist indicated by the advertisement.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one selectable option comprises recording the content unrelated to the advertised product or service.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive advertisement comprises a targeted interactive advertisement.

11. A method for enticing users to participate in advertising opportunities in an electronic program guide, comprising:

displaying an interactive television application display screen containing at least one interactive advertisement for a product or service including an indication that selection of the advertisement by the user will cause presentation of interactive content;

enticing a user to select the at least one interactive advertisement;

receiving user input to select the at least one interactive advertisement;

expanding, in response to the user input, the at least one interactive advertisement to cover an expanded area of the interactive television display screen; and

providing the user with at least one selectable option associated with the expanded interactive advertisement.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

displaying a television program in response to the user input; and

continuously displaying the expanded interactive advertisement overlaid on the television program.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one selectable option comprises an option to display a previously broadcast television program, wherein displaying the previously broadcast television program comprises:

determining the availability of the previously broadcast television program; and

accessing the previously broadcast television program in response to the determining.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the interactive advertisement comprises a targeted interactive advertisement.

15. A system for enticing users to participate in advertising opportunities, comprising:

an electronic program guide system configured to;

display an interactive advertisement for a product or service, the interactive advertisement including an indication that selection of the advertisement by the user will cause presentation of content unrelated to the product or service being advertised;

receive user input with respect to the interactive advertisement; and

provide, in response to the user input, information about the advertised product or service and the content unrelated to the advertised product or service.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the content unrelated to the advertised product or service comprises musical content indicated by the advertisement.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the musical content comprises at least one song from an album indicated by the advertisement.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the musical content comprises at least one song from an artist indicated by the advertisement.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the musical content further comprises related video content.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein in response to the user input the at least one interactive advertisement expands to cover an expanded area of the interactive television display screen and provides at least one selectable option associated with the expanded interactive advertisement.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the at least one selectable option comprises selecting a song to be played from an album indicated by the advertisement.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the at least one selectable option comprises selecting a song to be played from an artist indicated by the advertisement.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the at least one selectable option comprises recording the content unrelated to the advertised product or service.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein the interactive advertisement comprises a targeted interactive advertisement.

25. A system for enticing users to participate in advertising opportunities, comprising:

an electronic program guide system configured to;

display an interactive television application display screen containing at least one interactive advertisement for a product or service including an indication that selection of the advertisement by the user will cause presentation of interactive content;

entice a user to select the at least one interactive advertisement;

receive user input to select the at least one interactive advertisement;

expand, in response to the user input, the at least one interactive advertisement to cover an expanded area of the interactive television display screen; and

provide the user with at least one selectable option associated with the expanded interactive advertisement.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the electronic program guide is further configured to:

display a television program in response to the user input; and

continuously display the expanded interactive advertisement overlaid on the television program.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one selectable option comprises on option to display a previously broadcast television program, wherein displaying the previously broadcast television program comprises:

determining the availability of the previously broadcast television program; and

accessing the previously broadcast television program in response to the determining.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the interactive advertisement comprises a targeted interactive advertisement.